DOT's plan for Market Street median advances

Published: Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

In short, they're going out of style.

The center turn lane, often called the suicide lane, is slowly being phased out of service in many parts of the Wilmington area as the N.C. Department of Transportation updates and widens the region's main arteries.

The reason is simple – safety. The fewer places where you have traffic crossing in front of other traffic, the less chance of an accident.

Now the DOT wants to take another shot at tackling the region's busiest, most visible and arguably the most dangerous roadway with a middle turning lane.

The region's Transportation Advisory Committee last week unanimously approved a DOT proposal to build a median on Market Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Station Road and between Middle Sound Loop Road and Marsh Oaks Drive. Because of existing medians and ones already in the works, that would mean most of the stretch of Market between New Centre Drive and Porters Neck would have restricted left turns if the proposed medians are built.

As with an earlier attempt, the move is likely to generate opposition from business owners along the busy corridor worried about customers losing easy access to their stores. Doing away with the middle turning lane also would have a ripple effect on traffic patterns. Left-turn arrows at traffic signals would be longer to accommodate traffic making U-turns, as would lanes to stack the traffic.

"It's a balancing act, obviously," said Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo. "But there's certainly a safety issue on Market with that much traffic, that many businesses and that many curb cuts.

"We need to work with them and be sensitive to their concerns," he added of the business community's concerns. "But at the end of the day, we need to do what's right for the public and safety of that road."

The DOT is already moving in the direction of phasing out middle turning lanes where possible.

When Kerr Avenue next year is widened between Martin Luther King Jr. and Randall parkways, the center turning lane will be replaced by a median. The DOT and local planners also require developers to add medians when they construct new retail centers to reduce crossing traffic – such as with the new Walmart-anchored complex near Porters Neck.

And on parts of U.S. 17, the state has decided to limit crossing traffic by installing Michigan left turns. In those areas, motorists now have to turn right before turning left.

There's already a game plan as to how to improve safety along Market Street, which handles more than 50,000 cars a day in places. In 2009, planners wrapped up a two-year study that recommended adding a median along most of the busy artery from Colonial Drive in Wilmington to Porters Neck.

The proposed median could reduce crashes by 26 percent along the roadway, where the accident rate is twice the state average, according to the study.

But the DOT, having too many projects on its books and too little cash, scrapped the project, which had been endorsed by local officials.

Now, the idea of implementing much of the Market Street Corridor study is being revived. But funding remains an issue, with the DOT seeking to secure scarce safety funds for the project.

"If we had the funding, I would certainly support it," said state Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, who was a county commissioner when the original study was debated. "It certainly would be an improvement for that roadway."

<p>In short, they're going out of style.</p><p>The center turn lane, often called the suicide lane, is slowly being phased out of service in many parts of the Wilmington area as the N.C. Department of Transportation updates and widens the region's main arteries.</p><p>The reason is simple – safety. The fewer places where you have traffic crossing in front of other traffic, the less chance of an accident. </p><p>Now the DOT wants to take another shot at tackling the region's busiest, most visible and arguably the most dangerous roadway with a middle turning lane.</p><p>The region's Transportation Advisory Committee last week unanimously approved a DOT proposal to build a median on Market Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Station Road and between Middle Sound Loop Road and Marsh Oaks Drive. Because of existing medians and ones already in the works, that would mean most of the stretch of Market between New Centre Drive and Porters Neck would have restricted left turns if the proposed medians are built.</p><p>As with an earlier attempt, the move is likely to generate opposition from business owners along the busy corridor worried about customers losing easy access to their stores. Doing away with the middle turning lane also would have a ripple effect on traffic patterns. Left-turn arrows at traffic signals would be longer to accommodate traffic making U-turns, as would lanes to stack the traffic.</p><p>"It's a balancing act, obviously," said Wilmington Mayor <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic72"><b>Bill Saffo</b></a>. "But there's certainly a safety issue on Market with that much traffic, that many businesses and that many curb cuts.</p><p>"We need to work with them and be sensitive to their concerns," he added of the business community's concerns. "But at the end of the day, we need to do what's right for the public and safety of that road."</p><p>The DOT is already moving in the direction of phasing out middle turning lanes where possible.</p><p>When Kerr Avenue next year is widened between Martin Luther King Jr. and Randall parkways, the center turning lane will be replaced by a median. The DOT and local planners also require developers to add medians when they construct new retail centers to reduce crossing traffic – such as with the new Walmart-anchored complex near Porters Neck.</p><p>And on parts of U.S. 17, the state has decided to limit crossing traffic by installing Michigan left turns. In those areas, motorists now have to turn right before turning left.</p><p>There's already a game plan as to how to improve safety along Market Street, which handles more than 50,000 cars a day in places. In 2009, planners wrapped up a two-year study that recommended adding a median along most of the busy artery from Colonial Drive in Wilmington to Porters Neck.</p><p>The proposed median could reduce crashes by 26 percent along the roadway, where the accident rate is twice the state average, according to the study.</p><p>But the DOT, having too many projects on its books and too little cash, scrapped the project, which had been endorsed by local officials.</p><p>Now, the idea of implementing much of the Market Street Corridor study is being revived. But funding remains an issue, with the DOT seeking to secure scarce safety funds for the project.</p><p>"If we had the funding, I would certainly support it," said state Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, who was a county commissioner when the original study was debated. "It certainly would be an improvement for that roadway."</p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9924"><b>Gareth McGrath</b></a>: 343-2384</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @Gman2000</i></p>